When I left MRM, I decided to launch my own thing. And launch that thing I did, a super smart, very cool social media agency called socialdeviant, in February of 2012.

Well, 3 years later, thanks to an ever-growing army of deviants by my side, we are really getting somewhere.

Lots of amazing clients, a strong POV, and a growing reputation among people who get it. More on all of this – a bit more below, and plenty more on our site

So, why did I start my own thing? To slake my two obsessions.

The first: to build the best company possible.

Limitlessly kind. Infinitely composed. Flat, fast, and full of the most intellectually curious, left and right-brained thinkers I could find. We are a deviant army of thinkers and doers…of makers, translating innovative strategy and emerging technology across all social spaces into tangible results for clients. Quickly, efficiently, with zero ego. We are hyper-collaborative, share our ideas WIP with clients, and above all, are kind (wait, I think I already said that. Well, clearly I must mean it).

This, I think, is the new IP.

I am relentlessly pursuing this ambition. Really, I want to see how far we can get, with like-minded clients and partners, to challenge the theory that good guys finish last.
The second: to help brands create value in a socially connected world. We believe fundamentally that brands are stories, and stories are content, and we’re shaping brand success in a content-driven world.

How?
1. Engagement. By creating ideas that are highly relevant to individuals, driven by content strategies (and mix models) designed around audiences needs and interests.
2. Activation. Turn followers and fans into buyers and action-takers, by engaging audiences in a way that creates value for the brand (sales) and value for the individual.

I really felt, having worked with dozens of CMO’s and CEO’s, and having talked to countless more, that marketers were being under-served by the plethora of tools, dashboards, and content-serving platforms that have defined social media marketing to date.

What I think they’re really looking for – some strategic help to think about the role social media plays in building and activating their brands and their businesses, and amazing creativity to bring brilliant ideas to life across social spaces.

So far? So good. We now have lots of clients (including big ones like Farmers Insurance, Leinenkugel’s, FRHI and Coca-cola), a growing team of kind and composed social strategists, community managers, researchers, analysts, makers, and technologists, a super cool loft office, and unlimited ambition to create value for our clients.

We chose socialdeviant because of our need at Keystone to fundamentally rethink our approach to marketing from the ground up. socialdeviant’s ability to quickly gain a deep understanding of our business objectives and assist us in crafting a new strategic approach to marketing has been phenomenal. But more than that, their ability to continuously operate on a strategic level while at the same time delivering the most responsive, kind and ego-less day-to-day work I’ve ever experienced with an agency is one of the many ways they take their extraordinary thinking and make it real for our business.

You are always more than welcome to come by and hangout with us. We redefine open source – we are an open office. Bring your laptop, and we’ll supply: